Demographic Problems Hinder the Construction of a Strong Army
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The experiences of Ukraine show that efficient citizen mobilization and a large army are crucial for a nation's security during wartime. Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine had an army of over 200,000 soldiers, many of whom had combat experience since 2014, from the annexation of Crimea and the beginning of the rebellion in Donbas.
The Polish army should also be large and capable of confronting a potential enemy on a long frontline. However, there are threats to building such a large army.
Many businesses need help finding employees and need to recruit from abroad. The army is no longer competitive in pay and benefits, leading to a decrease in the number of people willing to serve compared to 15–20 years ago.
Polish reserves do not have any basic military training since the country abolished mandatory military service in 2008. As Poland's population shrinks, fewer people are able to serve in the military. It is becoming increasingly difficult to form brigades and tactical units, especially in sparsely populated eastern Poland areas.
Building a 300,000-strong army without reforms in the context of conscription will be very challenging, according to Mariusz Marszałkowski, editor-in-chief of the POLON.pl portal.
